Silver halide light sensitive color photographic material

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a silver halide light-sensitive color photographic material having a high sensitivity and excellent granularity. The photographic material contains in at least one of the emulsion layers the core/shell type tabular silver halide grains comprising: a. a numerical ratio of monodispersed grains to all grains of 70% or more; b. an average aspect value of not less than 1 and less than 5; and c. a portion having a silver iodide content of 15.3 mol % or more in the core.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/577,745,filed Sep. 5, 1990, now abandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a silver halide light-sensitive colorphotographic material, specifically to a silver halide light-sensitivephotographic material having high sensitivity, excellent graininess andimproved storage stability.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Recently, there has been increasing demand for higher sensitivity andmore improved image quality.

One of the key factors affecting the sensitivity of a silver halidelight-sensitive material and the quality of an image is silver halidegrains. Efforts have been made in the art to develop silver halidegrains for higher sensitivity and image quality.

It is generally known that image quality can be improved by employingsilver halide grains with smaller grain sizes. However, such smallergrain sizes inevitably lower the sensitivity of a light-sensitivematerial and therefore, it is difficult to balance the sensitivity withthe image quality.

There have been studied the methods of improving both sensitivity andimage quality by controlling a sensitivity/size ratio of the silverhalide grains. The examples thereof are the use of tabular silver halidegrains, which are disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Open toPublic Inspection (hereinafter referred to as Japanese Patent O.P.I.Publication) Nos. 111935/1983, 111936/1983, 111937/1983, 113927/1983 and99433/1984. These tabular grains have a larger surface area than thoseof regular octahedral, tetradecahedral and dodecahedral silver halidegrains each having the same volume. Such larger surface area permits thesilver halide grains to adsorb a larger amount of a sensitizing dye onthe surface thereof and therefore to have an improved sensitivity.

Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 92942/1988 discloses tabularsilver halide grains having therein a core of high AgI; Japanese PatentO.P.I. Publication No. 163451 discloses tabular hexagonal grains; andJapanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 163451/1988 discloses tabularsilver halide grains having an aspect ratio of not less than 5. Thesemethods can improve sensitivity and graininess to some extent, however,are insufficient for balancing a sensitivity with an image quality.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a silver halidelight-sensitive color photographic material having an improvedsensitivity, graininess and storage stability.

The above object can be attained by a silver halide light-sensitivecolor photographic material comprising a support and provided thereon atleast one silver halide emulsion layer, wherein at least one of theemulsion layers contains core/shell type tabular silver halide grainscomprising: a) a ratio of monodispersed grains of not less than 70% interms of the number of the grains; b) an average aspect ratio(diameter/thickness) of not less than 1 and less than 5; and the portionhaving a silver iodide content of not less than 15.3 mol % in the core.

In a preferred embodiment, most of the tabular silver halide grains arehexagonal and the degree of monodispersion of the grains is less than20%.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the invention, the tabular grain is defined by the grain having twomajor faces parallel to each other.

Tabular silver halide grains of the invention have an averagediameter/thickness ratio (aspect ratio) of not less than 1 and smallerthan 5, preferably not less than 1 and smaller than 4, more preferablynot less than 1 and smaller than 3. The average aspect ratio is obtainedby averaging the aspect ratios of all silver halide grains.

The diameter of a tabular silver halide grain, which is represented bythe diameter of a circle having the same area as that of the projectedmajor face of the grain, is preferably 0.1 to 5.0 μm, more preferably0.2 to 4.0 μm, most preferably 0.3 to 3.0 μm.

The silver halide emulsion according to the invention is monodispersed.The monodispersed silver halide emulsion is defined by the silver halideemulsion containing 60% by weight or more of the silver halide grainswith the sizes falling within the range of 80 to 120% of the averagegrain size d. The above weight percentage is preferably not less than65%, more preferably not less than 70% of all silver halide grains.

The average grain size d is defined by a diameter d_(i) in which theproduct of d_(i) ³ and the number thereof n_(i) is maximized. In theproduct, n_(i) represents the frequency of grains having the grain-sized_(i).

The significant figure is calculated down to the third decimal place andthe fourth digit is rounded to the nearest whole number.

The grain diameters can be calculated by taking an electronmicrophotograph of a grain (x 10,000 to 50,000) and measuring theprojected area of more than 1,000 grains selected arbitrarily on thisphotograph.

The silver halide emulsion used in the invention preferably has a degreeof monodispersion of lower than 20%, more preferably lower than 18%,most preferably lower than 15%, wherein the degree of monodispersion isdefined by the following formula: ##EQU1##

The numerical ratio of the tabular silver halide grains to all silverhalide grains contained in the silver halide emulsion of the inventioncan be calculated by counting the number of grains on an electronmicrophotograph of the emulsion. The number of the tabular grainsaccounts for not less than 70%, preferably not less than 75%, morepreferably not less than 80% of the total silver halide grains.

It is preferred that the tabular silver halide grains have mainly thehexagonal major faces.

The ratio of the major length to the minor one in the hexagonal majorface is preferably not more than 2, more preferably not more than 1.8,most preferably not more than 1.5. This ratio can be calculated also byusing an electron microphotograph of the silver halide emulsion. Thetabular grains of 50% or more have preferably the hexagonal major faces.

The tabular silver halide grains of the invention is of a core/shelltype in which high content silver iodide is localized in the core of thegrain.

High content silver iodide localized in the core is identified by theaverage silver iodide contents J₁ and J₃ satisfying the followingrelationship:

    J.sub.1 >J.sub.3

wherein J₁ represents an average silver iodide content measured by afluorescent X-ray spectroscopy and J₃ represents the average value ofsilver iodide contents measured by an X-ray microanalysis in which thecontents concerned are measured at the portions far away by 80% or moreof a grain radius from the center thereof.

The high iodide portion in the grain has a silver content of higher than15.3 mol %, preferably 18 to 45 mol %, more preferably 20 to 45 mol %,most preferably 25 to 45 mol %.

The silver halide emulsion used in the invention can be prepared bygrowing monodispersed spherical seed grains prepared by the methoddescribed in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 6643/1986 understirring with a stirrer disclosed in Japanese Patent O.P.I. PublicationNo. 92523/1982, at 500 to 1200 r.p.m. The seed grains can be grown byany of the acid method, the neutral method and the ammonia method, or byutilizing the known methods described in Japanese Patent PublicationNos. 6643/1986, 14630/1986, 112142/1986, 157024/1987, 18556/1987,92942/1988, 151618/1988, 1613451/1988, 220238/1988 and 311244/1988.Water-soluble salts may be removed by a flocculation method or a noodlewashing method.

Silver halides used in the invention are silver iodochloride and silveriodobromochloride and may be a surface latent image type or an innerlatent image type.

The silver halide grains may be chemically sensitized by conventionalmethods, and spectrally sensitized to a prescribed wavelength withsensitizing dyes.

The silver halide emulsion may contain various additives such as ananti-foggant and a stabilizer. Gelatin is used preferably as the binder.

Emulsion layers and other hydrophilic colloid layers may be hardened andcontain a plasticizer and a latex.

A coupler is contained in a silver halide light-sensitive emulsionlayer.

There may be added a color coupler, a competitive coupler, and acompound capable of releasing by a coupling reaction with an oxidationproduct of a developing agent, various photographically useful fragmentssuch as a development accelerator, a bleaching accelerator, a developingagent, a solvent for silver halide, a toning agent, a hardener, afogging agent, an anti-foggant, a chemical sensitizer, a spectralsensitizer and a desensitizer.

There may be provided various auxiliary layers such as a filter layer,an anti-halation layer and an anti-irradiation layer. These layers andthe silver halide emulsion layers may contain a dye which can be removedor bleached during development.

The light-sensitive material may contain conventional additives such asa formalin scavenger, a fluorescent bleaching agent, a matting agent, alubricant, an image stabilizer, a surfactant, an anti-foggant, adevelopment accelerator, a development retarder and a bleachingaccelerator.

The support is polyethylene-coated paper, a polyethylene terephthalatefilm, baryta paper or a cellulose triacetate film.

The light-sensitive material of the invention is subjected toconventional processing after exposure.

EXAMPLES

The present invention will be described in more detail by referring tothe following examples.

EXAMPLE 1 Preparation of Em-1

A comparative core/shell type emulsions was prepared according to themethod described in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 138538/1985,wherein the emulsion comprised octahedral silver iodobromide grains(average grain size: 1.3 μm, silver iodide content: 5 mol %).

Comparative emulsions, Em-2, Em-3 and Em-4 each consisting of core/shelltype tabular silver halide grains were prepared by the followingmethods:

Preparation of Em-2

To 5 l of an aqueous 1.5% gelatin solution containing 44.9 g ofpotassium bromide, 119 ml of an aqueous solution containing 9.76 g ofpotassium bromide and 119 ml of an aqueous solution containing 13.96 gof silver nitrate were added with stirring at 70° C. and pH 5.8 at theequal flow rate by the double-jet method while maintaining pBr at 0.9.Subsequently, 2.0 l of an aqueous solution containing 337 g of silvernitrate and 2.0 l of an aqueous solution containing 200.3 g of potassiumbromide and 49.3 g of potassium iodide were added at the equal flow rateby the double-jet method while maintaining pBr at 1.2. Next, 4.0 l of anaqueous solution containing 1685 g of silver nitrate and 4.0 l of anaqueous solution containing 1157 g of potassium bromide and 32.9 g ofpotassium iodide were added at the equal flow rate by the double-jetmethod while maintaining pBr at 1.2, to thereby prepare tabular silverhalide grains. After desalting at 40° C., gelatin was added to thegrains for redispersion. The dispersion was then cooled to 20° C. forcoagulation, whereby 1.5 kg of a comparative silver halide emulsion wereprepared.

Preparation of Em-3

To 5 l of an aqueous 1.5% gelatin solution containing 44.9 g ofpotassium bromide, 119 ml of an aqueous solution containing 9.76 g ofpotassium bromide and 119 ml of an aqueous solution containing 13.96 gof silver nitrate were added with stirring at 65° C. and pH 5.8 at theequal flow rate by the double-jet method while maintaining pBr at 0.9.Subsequently, 2.2 l of an aqueous solution containing 337 g of silvernitrate and 2.2 l of an aqueous solution containing 207.4 g of potassiumbromide and 39.44 g of potassium iodide were added at the equal flowrate by the double-jet method while maintaining pBr at 1.2. Next, 4.2 lof an aqueous solution containing 1685 g of silver nitrate and 4.2 l ofan aqueous solution containing 1157 g of potassium bromide and 32.9 g ofpotassium iodide were added at the same flow rate by the double-jetmethod while maintaining pBr at 1.2, to thereby prepare tabular silverhalide grains. Then, desalting, redispersion and coagulation wereperformed in the same manner as in Em-2, whereby 1.5 kg of a comparativesilver halide emulsion where prepared.

Preparation of Em-4

To 5 l of an aqueous 1.5% gelatin solution containing 44.9 g ofpotassium bromide, 119 ml of an aqueous solution containing 9.76 g ofpotassium bromide and 119 ml of an aqueous solution containing 13.96 gof silver nitrate were added with stirring at 70° C. and pH 5.8 at theequal flow rate by the double-jet method while maintaining pBr at 0.9.Subsequently, 2.8 l of an aqueous solution containing 337 g of silvernitrate and 2.8 l of an aqueous solution containing 2.8 l of an aqueoussolution containing 193.2 g of potassium bromide and 59.2 g of potassiumiodide were added at the equal flow rate by the double-jet method whilemaintaining pBr at 1.3. Next, 3.5 l of an aqueous solution containing1685 g of silver nitrate and 3.5 l of an aqueous solution containing1157 g of potassium bromide and 32.9 g of potassium iodide were added atthe same flow rate by the double-jet method while maintaining pBr at1.2, to thereby prepare tabular silver halide grains. Desalting,redispersion and coagulation were performed in the same manner as inEm-2, whereby 1.5 kg of a comparative emulsion were prepared.

Inventive emulsions Em-5 to 8 were prepared by the following procedures:

Preparation of Em-5

To 5 l of an aqueous 1.5% gelatin solution, there were added 300 g of aseed emulsion consisting of monodispersed spherical grains (0.082 molsilver halide), followed by stirring at 70° C. and pH 5.8. To themixture, 2.5 l of an aqueous solution containing 337 g of silver nitrateand 2.5 l of an aqueous solution containing 193.2 g of potassium bromideand 59.2 g of potassium iodide were added at the equal flow rate by thedouble-jet method while maintaining pBr at 1.5. Next, 4.0 l of anaqueous solution containing 1685 g of silver nitrate and 4.0 l of anaqueous solution containing 1157 g of potassium bromide and 32.9 g ofpotassium iodide were added at the equal flow rate by the double-jetmethod while maintaining pBr at 1.5, to thereby prepare tabular silverhalide grains. After desalting at 40° C., gelatin was added to thegrains for redispersion, followed by cooling to 20° C. for coagulation,whereby, 1.5 kg of an inventive emulsion were prepared.

Stirring was made at 700 r.p.m. with a stirrer disclosed in JapanesePatent O.P.I. Publication No. 92523/1982.

Preparation of Em-6

The same seed emulsion 300 g as in Em-5 was added to 5 l of an aqueous2.0% gelatin solution, followed by stirring at 75° C. and pH 5.8. To themixture, 2.8 l of an aqueous solution containing 337 g of silver nitrateand 2.8 l of an aqueous solution containing 188.5 g of potassium bromideand 65.8 g of potassium iodide were added at the equal flow rate by thedouble-jet method while maintaining pBr at 1.5. Next, 3.5 l of anaqueous solution containing 1685 g of silver nitrate and 3.5 l of anaqueous solution containing 1157 g of potassium bromide and 32.9 g ofpotassium iodide were added at the equal flow rate by the double-jetmethod while maintaining pBr at 1.5, to thereby prepare tabular silverhalide grains. Desalting, redispersion and coagulation were performed inthe same manner as in Em-5, whereby 1.5 kg of an inventive emulsion wereprepared.

Stirring was made at 800 r.p.m. with the same stirrer as in Em-5.

Preparation of Em-7

The same seed emulsion 300 g as in Em-5 was added to 4.5 l of an aqueous1.5% gelatin solution, followed by stirring at 75° C. and pH 5.8. To themixture, 2.4 l of an aqueous solution containing 337 g of silver nitrateand 2.4 l of an aqueous solution containing 183.8 g of potassium bromideand 72.4 g of potassium iodide were added at the equal flow rate by thedouble-jet method while maintaining pBr at 1.8.

Next, 4.0 l of an aqueous solution containing 1685 g of silver nitrateand 4.0 l of an aqueous solution containing 1157 g of potassium bromideand 32.9 g of potassium iodide were added at the equal flow rate by thedouble-jet method while maintaining pBr at 1.8, to thereby preparetabular silver halide grains. Desalting, redispersion and coagulationwere performed in the same manner as in EM-5, whereby 1.5 kg of aninventive emulsion were prepared.

Stirring was made in the same manner as in EM-6.

Preparation of EM-8

To 5 l of an aqueous 1.5% gelatin solution, there were added 300 g ofthe same seed emulsion as in EM-5, followed by stirring at 75° C. and pH5.8. to the mixture, 2.2 l of an aqueous solution containing 337 g ofsilver nitrate and 2.2 l of an aqueous solution containing 189.7 g ofpotassium bromide and 64.2 g of potassium iodide were added at the equalflow rate by the double-jet method while maintaining pBr at 1.5. Next,4.0 l of an aqueous solution containing 1685 g of silver nitrate and 4.0l of an aqueous solution containing 1157 g of potassium bromide and 32.9g of potassium iodide were added at the equal flow rate by thedouble-jet method while maintaining pBr at 1.8, to thereby preparetabular silver halide grains. Desalting, redispersion and coagulationwere performed in the same manner as in Em-5, whereby 1.5 kg of aninventive emulsion were prepared.

Stirring was made in the same manner as in Em-5.

The properties of EM-1 to 8 are shown in Table 1.

                                      TABLE 1                                     __________________________________________________________________________                        Numberical                                                                    ratio of   Silver iodide                                                      tabular                                                                             Average                                                                            content (mol %)  Ratio of hexagonal                                grains to                                                                           grain                                                                              Average                                                                            Core        tabular grains to                       Shape of                                                                            Aspect                                                                            all grains                                                                          diameter                                                                           through                                                                            of  Degree of                                                                             all tabular grains            Emulsion No.                                                                            grain ratio                                                                             (%)   (μm)                                                                            grain                                                                              grain                                                                             monodispersion                                                                        (%)                           __________________________________________________________________________    Em-1 (Comparison)                                                                       Octahedral                                                                          --  --    1.3  5    20  15      --                            Em-2 (Comparison)                                                                       Tabular                                                                             6.0 70    1.8  4.1  15  35      22                            Em-3 (Comparison)                                                                       Tabular                                                                             4.0 70    1.4  3.6  12  30      45                            Em-4 (Comparison)                                                                       Tabular                                                                             7.0 62    2.0  4.6  18  21      16                            Em-5 (Invention)                                                                        Tabular                                                                             4.0 72    1.5  4.6  18  22      44                            Em-6 (Invention)                                                                        Tabular                                                                             3.0 80    1.4  5.0  20  18      70                            Em-7 (Invention)                                                                        Tabular                                                                             2.5 85    1.4  5.3  22  13      72                            Em-8 (Invention)                                                                        Tabular                                                                             3.5 80    1.6  4.9  19.5                                                                              18      83                            __________________________________________________________________________

Five g of the magenta coupler M-1, 0.95 g of the colored magenta couplerCM-1 and 0.10 g of the DIR compound D-1 were dissolved in 5 ml ofdibutyl phthalate. The solution was then mixed with 8 ml of an aqueous1.0% solution of Alkanol B (alkylnapthalene sulfonate manufactured byDupon Ltd.) and 70 ml of an aqueous 5% gelatin solution, followed bydispersing with of a colloid mill. ##STR1##

The above dispersion and 350 g (containing 40 g of silver) of Em-1 to 8subjected to optimum sulfur sensitization, gold sensitization andgreen-sensitization were mixed and coated on a subbed cellulosetriacetate film in a silver amount of 16 mg/dm².

Further, a protective layer containing 2.3 g/m² of gelatin was coated onthe emulsion layer, whereby silver halide light-sensitive materialSamples No. 1 to 8 were prepared.

Each sample was exposed to white light for sensitometry, and processedaccording to the following processing procedures. Then, sensitivity andRMS granularity were evaluated.

    ______________________________________                                        Processing procedures (38° C.)                                         ______________________________________                                        Color developing                                                                              3 min 15 sec                                                  Bleaching       6 min 30 sec                                                  Rinsing         3 min 15 sec                                                  Fixing          6 min 30 sec                                                  Rinsing         3 min 15 sec                                                  Stabilizing     1 min 30 sec                                                  Drying                                                                        ______________________________________                                    

The composition of each processing liquid is as follows:

    ______________________________________                                        Color developer                                                               ______________________________________                                        4-Amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N-                                                                            4.75 g                                               (β-hydroxyethyl)aniline sulfate                                          Sodium sulfite anhydrous 4.25 g                                               Hydroxylamine 1/2 sulfate                                                                              2.0 g                                                Potassium carbonate anhydrous                                                                          37.5 g                                               Sodium bromide           1.3 g                                                Trisodium nitrilotriacetate                                                                            2.5 g                                                (monohydride)                                                                 Potassium hydroxide      1.0 g                                                ______________________________________                                    

Water was added to make total quantity 1 liter, and pH was adjusted to10.0.

    ______________________________________                                        Bleacher                                                                      ______________________________________                                        Ferric ammonium ethylenediaminetetraacetate                                                               100 g                                             Ferric diammonium ethylenediaminetetraacetate                                                             10 g                                              Ammonium bromide            150.0 g                                           Glacial acetic acid         10.0 g                                            ______________________________________                                    

Water was added to make total quantity 1 liter, and pH was adjusted to6.0 with aqueous ammonia.

    ______________________________________                                        Fixer                                                                         ______________________________________                                        Ammonium thiosulfate     175.0 g                                              Ammonium sulfite anhydrous                                                                             8.5 g                                                Sodium metasulfite       2.3 g                                                ______________________________________                                    

Water was added to make total quantity 1 liter, and pH was adjusted to6.0 with acetic acid.

    ______________________________________                                        Stabilizer                                                                    ______________________________________                                        Formalin (an aqueous 37% solution)                                                                       1.5 ml                                             Konidax (manufactured by Konica Corp)                                                                    7.5 ml                                             Water was added to make total quantity 1 liter.                               ______________________________________                                    

Relative sensitivity is defined by a reciprocal of the exposure requiredto provide a density of a fog+0.1 and is a value relative to the greensensitivity of Sample No. 1, which is set at 100.

RMS is a value obtained by multiplying by 1000 times a standarddeviation for the variation of a density in scanning a density of theminimum density+0.1 with a microdensitometer having a 250 μm² openingfor scanning, and shown by a value relative to that of Sample No. 1,which is set at 100.

The evaluation results are shown in Table 2.

The results reveal that the samples of the invention are superior to thecomparative samples in both sensitivity and granularity.

                  TABLE 2                                                         ______________________________________                                        Sample No  Emulsion No.                                                                             Relative sensitivity                                                                          RMS                                     ______________________________________                                        1 (Comparison)                                                                           Em-1       100             100                                     2 (Comparison)                                                                           Em-2       104             108                                     3 (Comparison)                                                                           Em-3       102             103                                     4 (Comparison)                                                                           Em-4       102             106                                     5 (Invention)                                                                            Em-5       119              86                                     6 (Invention)                                                                            Em-6       121              82                                     7 (Invention)                                                                            Em-7       128              78                                     8 (Invention)                                                                            Em-8       127              82                                     ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 2

The layers of the following compositions were provided on a subbedtriacetyl cellulose in sequence from the support, to thereby preparemultilayered light-sensitive color photographic material Samples No. 9to 16.

1st layer: anti-halation layer containing gelatin and black colloidalsilver

2nd layer: interlayer containing gelatin and 2,5-di-t-octylhydroquinone

3rd layer: low speed red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer

Monodispersed emulsion containing core/shell type AgBrI grains with anaverage diameter of 0.45 μm and an AgI content of 7 mol %; the amount ofsilver coated: 1.8 g/m² ;

Sensitizing dye I . . . 5.0×10⁻⁴ mol per mol silver

Sensitizing dye II . . . 0.7×10⁻⁴ mol per mol silver

Cyan coupler C-1 . . . 0.10 mol per mol silver

Colored cyan coupler CC-1 . . . 0.002 mol per mol silver

DIR compound D-2 . . . 0.0005 mol per mol silver

DIR compound D-3 . . . 0.003 mol per mol silver

HBS-1A . . . 1.0 g/m²

4th layer: interlayer same as the 2nd layer

5th layer: high speed red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer

Emulsion shown in Table 3; the amount of silver coated: 2.2 g/m² ;

Sensitizing dye I . . . 2.6×10⁻⁴ mol per mol silver

Sensitizing dye II . . . 0.7×10⁻⁴ mol per mol silver

Cyan coupler C-1 . . . 0.004 mol per mol silver

Cyan coupler C-2 . . . 0.014 mol per mol silver

Colored Cyan coupler CC-1 . . . 0.0005 mol per mol silver

DIR compound D-3 . . . 0.0005 mol per mol silver

HBS-1A . . . 0.37 g/m²

6th layer: interlayer same as the 2nd layer

7th layer: low speed green-sensitive silver halide emulsion

Emulsion same as in the 3rd layer; the amount of silver coated: 1.0 g/m²;

Sensitizing dye III . . . 2.0×10⁻⁴ mol per mol silver

Sensitizing dye IV . . . 1.0×10⁻⁴ mol per mol silver

Magenta coupler M-1 . . . 0.090 mol per mol silver

Colored magenta coupler CM-1 . . . 0.007 mol per mol silver

DIR compound D-4 . . . 0.002 mol per mol silver

DIR compound D-5 . . . 0.003 mol per mol silver

HBS-2A . . . 0.90 g/m²

8th layer: interlayer same as the 2nd layer

9th layer: high speed green-sensitive silver halide emulsion

Emulsion shown in Table 3; the amount of coated silver: 2.5 g/m².

Sensitizing dye III . . . 1.2×10⁻⁴ mol per mol silver

Sensitizing dye IV . . . 0.8 ×10⁻⁴ mol per mol silver

Magenta coupler M-1 . . . 0.01 mol per mol silver

Colored magenta coupler CM-1 . . . 0.005 mol per mol silver

DIR compound D-4 . . . 0.0002 mol per mol silver

HBS-2A . . . 0.22 g/m²

10th layer: yellow filter layer containing gelatin, yellow colloidalsilver and 2,5-di-t-octylhydroquinone

11th layer: low speed blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion

Emulsion same as in the 3rd layer; the amount of silver coated: 0.5 g/m²;

Sensitizing dye V . . . 1.3×10⁻⁴ mol per mol silver

Yellow coupler Y-1 . . . 0.35 mol per mol silver

HBS-2A . . . 0.25g/m²

12th layer: high speed blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion

Emulsion shown in Table 3; the amount of silver coated: 1.2 g/m² ;

Sensitizing dye V . . . 1.8×10⁻⁴ mol per mol silver

Yellow coupler Y-1 . . . 0.04 mol per mol silver

HBS-2A . . . 0.25 g/m²

13th layer: 1st protective layer containing silver iodobromide (AgIcontent: 1 mol %, average diameter: 0.07 μm) in the amount of silvercoated: 0.4 g/m² and UV absorbers UV-1 and UV-2.

14th layer: 2nd protective layer containing polymethyl methacrylate(diameter: 1.5 μm) and formalin scavenger (HS-1)

In addition to the above components, gelatin hardeners(H-1) and (H-2),and a surfactant were added to each layer.

The compounds contained in each layer:

Sensitizing dyeI:anhydro-5,5'-dichloro-9-ethyl-3,3'-di-(3-sulfopropyl)thiacarbocyaninehydroxide

Sensitizing dye II:anhydro-9-ethyl-3,3'-di-(3-sulfopropyl)-4,5,4',5'-dibenzothiacarbocyaninehydroxide

Sensitizing dye III:anhydro-5,5'-diphenyl-9-ethyl-3,3'-di-(3-sulfopropyl)oxycarbocyaninehydroxide

Sensitizing dye IV:anhydro-9-ethyl-3,3'-di-(3-sulfopropyl)-5,6,5',6'-dibenzoxacarbocyaninehydroxide

Sensitizing dye V:anhydro-3,3'-di-(3-sulfopropyl)-4,5-benzo-5'-methoxythiacyaninehydroxide ##STR2## Sample Nos. 9 to 16 were exposed to white lightthrough an optical wedge, and processed in the same manner as in Example1.

Sensitivity and RMS granularity were evaluated for the high speedgreen-sensitive layers of the processed samples. The results are shownin Table 3. Sensitivity and granularity are the values relative to thoseof Sample No. 9, which are set at 100, respectively.

The results reveal that the samples of the invention are superior to thecomparative samples in both sensitivity and RMS.

                  TABLE 3                                                         ______________________________________                                        Sample No  Emulsion No.                                                                              Relative sensitivity                                                                        RMS                                      ______________________________________                                         9 (Comparison)                                                                          Em-1        100           100                                      10 (Comparison)                                                                          Em-2        106           108                                      11 (Comparison)                                                                          Em-3        103           106                                      12 (Comparison)                                                                          Em-4        104           105                                      13 (Invention)                                                                           Em-5        115            83                                      14 (Invention)                                                                           Em-6        128            78                                      15 (Invention)                                                                           Em-7        128            74                                      16 (Invention)                                                                           Em-8        121            80                                      ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 3

Light-sensitive material samples prepared in Example 2 were stored underthe following two different conditions. The stored samples wereprocessed and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 2.

Conditions:

A: 65° C., 30% RH for 4 days

B: 50° C., 80% RH for 4 days

The results are shown in Table 4. Under either condition, the samples ofthe invention were superior to the comparative samples in bothsensitivity and RMS granularity.

                  TABLE 4                                                         ______________________________________                                                       Condition A                                                                             Condition B                                                               Relative      Relative                                               Emulsion sensi-        sensi-                                     Sample No.  No.      tivity   RMS  tivity RMS                                 ______________________________________                                        17 (Comparison)                                                                           Em-1     100      100  100    100                                 18 (Comparison)                                                                           Em-2     102      110  104    107                                 19 (Comparison)                                                                           Em-3      94      109   95    104                                 20 (Comparison)                                                                           Em-4      98      105  101    110                                 21 (Invention)                                                                            Em-5     116       88  119     90                                 22 (Invention)                                                                            Em-6     128       82  127     84                                 23 (Invention)                                                                            Em-7     124       75  122     77                                 24 (Invention)                                                                            Em-8     119       80  118     81                                 ______________________________________                                    

What is claimed is:
 1. A silver halide light-sensitive colorphotographic material comprising a support and provided thereon at leastone silver halide emulsion layer, wherein at least one of the emulsionlayers contains core/shell type tabular silver halide grains havinghexagonal major faces wherein the ration of a major length to a minorlength of the hexagonal major faces is 2 or less, comprising:a. anumerical ratio of monodispersed grains to all grains of 70% or more; b.an average aspect ratio greater than 1 and less than 5; and c. a portionhaving a silver iodide content of 15.3 mol % or more in the core.
 2. Thephotographic material of claim 1, wherein the numerical ratio of themonodispersed grains is 75% or more.
 3. The photographic material ofclaim 2, wherein the numerical ratio is 80% or more.
 4. The photographicmaterial of claim 1, wherein the average aspect ratio is greater than 1and less than
 4. 5. The photographic material of claim 4, wherein theaverage aspect ratio is greater than 1 and less than
 3. 6. Thephotographic material of claim 1, wherein the silver iodide content insaid portion is 18 to 45 mol %.
 7. The photographic material of claim 6,wherein the silver iodide content is 20 to 45 mol %.
 8. The photographicmaterial of claim 7, wherein the silver iodide content is 25 to 45 mol%.
 9. The photographic material of claim 1, wherein the ratio is 1.8 orless.
 10. The photographic material of claim 9, wherein the ratio is 1.5or less.
 11. The photographic material of claim 1, wherein the numericalratio of the hexagonal tabular grains to all grains is 50% or more. 12.The photographic material of claim 1, wherein the tabular silver halidegrains have a monodispersion degree of less than 20%, provided that themonodispersion degree of 20% is defined by that the sizes of 60% byweight or more of the grains fall within the range of 80 to 120% of anaverage grain size.
 13. The photographic material of claim 12, whereinthe monodispersion degree is less than 18%.
 14. The photographicmaterial of claim 13, wherein the monodispersion degree is less than15%.
 15. The photographic material of claim 1, wherein the tabularsilver halide grains have an average grain diameter of 0.1 to 5.0 μm,provided that the the diameter of the tabular grain is defined by thediameter of a circle having the same area as that of a projected majorface of the tabular grain.
 16. The photographic material of claim 15,wherein the average grain diameter is 0.2 to 4.0 μm.
 17. Thephotographic material of claim 16, wherein the average grain diameter is0.3 to 3.0 μm.